Interchangeable shipping-case.



N. J1 BUSBY. ,INTBRGEANGBABLB SHIPPING CASE.

. `APPLICATION' FILED OCT. 1, 1906.

Ptented Feb.8,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. J. BUSBY. INTERCHANGEABLE SHIPPING CASE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1906.

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NAHUM JUDSON BUSBY, 0F CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO L. A. BUSBY, 0F CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERCI-IANGEABLE SHIPPING-CASE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Application filed October 1, 1906. Serial No. 336,943.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAHUM JUDsoN BUsBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Interchangeable Shipping-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to interchangeable shipping or mailing cases, designed primarily for transporting small living objects, such as bees, silk-worms, and the like, but which may also be converted into a shipping case for liquids.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved case. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same, showing the interior arranged for carrying living objects. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the case. Fig. 4 is a similar View with the closing cap removed. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the interior removable parts used to fit the case for transporting living objects. Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, a top plan View and a central vertical sectional view of an inner liquid-tight closure used when the case is employed to transport liquids.

Similar numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views.

In the said drawings the reference numeral l denotes the body portion of the case, the same being rounded at its bottom, and being provided exteriorly with a series of strengthening ribs 2, the same beginning as extensions of the greatest exterior circumference of the case and converging to the center of the rounded bottom toward which they gradually reduce in height, until at said center they vanish, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

To adapt the case for the transportation of living objects I locate therein a removable cell-like partition 8 consisting of a series of partition walls radiating from a common center and rounded at their bottom to fit the interior configuration of the body portion 1, the same, when'located within said body portion, dividing said body portion with a series of cells, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The upper inner end of the body portion 1 is slightly enlarged in diameter and is screw threaded to receive the exteriorly screw threaded retaining ring 4, a foraminous disk 5 being interposed between said ring and the annular shoulder' 6 formed by slightly enlarging the upper inner end of said body portion.

The upper exterior surface of said body portion 1 is formeel for some distance of reduced diameter, and at the lower end of said reduced portion is screw threaded to receive the screw threaded lower end of a closing cap 7, said cap telescoping for a portion ofits length on said body portion before its screw threads engage with the eX- terior screw threads on said body portion. Said cap 7 is rounded at its top similarly to the rounded bottom of the body portion 1 and is provided with a series of exterior strengthening ribs 8 similar to the ribs 2 on said body portion. Said cap is also provided with a plurality of small holes 9 communicating with its interior to provide free access of air to the interior of the case, which will penetrate to the living objects in the cells of the body portion 1 through the foraminous disk 5. It will thus be seen that the case so constituted is adapted to transport a number of living objects, one being placed in each of the cells, and that, while free access of air is provided to the interior of the case, the same, being preferably formed of metal, such as steel, zinc or the like, affords a practically unbreakable closure. f

When it is desired to use the case to transport liquids, I remove the retaining ring 4, disk 5, and partition 3, and in place of said ring I employ the closing plug 10, shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In Letters Patent No. 849,352, granted to me April 2, 1907, I have described in detail the specific construction of said closing plug, which I contemplate using in the present case in conjunction with a disk ll and felt pad 12 described in said application, and further description of the same seems unnecessary.

The felt pad l2 employed between the plug 10 and closing disk 11 I coat or impregnate with paraffin or other material impervious to atmospheric in'iiuences.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A shipping case embodying a body portion, and a cap, both of the same being rounded at their ends, and strengthening ribs located on the rounded portions only of said body portion and cap and terminating with the greatest exterior circumference of said case.

2. A shipping case embodying a body portion, and a cap, both of the same being rounded at their ends, and strengthening ribs located on the rounded portions of said body and cap, said ribs beginning as extensions of the greatest exterior circumference of the case and converging to the centers of their respective rounded portions, gradually reducing in height and vanishing at said centers.

3. A shipping case, embodying a body portion, a perforated disk closing the upper end of said body portion, a retaining ring engaging the inner surface of said body p0rtion at its upper end and retaining said disk in position, and an outer closure apertured to admit air.

4'. A ship ing case embodying a body portion, a cellike partition therein, a perforated disk closing the upper ends of the cells formed by said partition, a retaining ring engaging the inner surface of said body portion at its upper'end and retaining said the inner surface of said body portion atl its upper end and retaining said disk in position, and a separate outer closure apertured to admit air.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

NAHUM JUDSON BUSBY.

Witnesses:

LIZZIE A. BUSBY, ANNm LINCOLN GARFIELD BUsBY. 

